Dog Training Hand Signals

Today, I am going to share with you another dog training secret. Besides verbalizing your command, accompany it with hand signals. Do not cause confusion to your pet dog by having different signals to the same command. Make sure you synchronize the signs within the family. In this way, you will be able to communicate the commands effectively, be it verbally or visually. Adding hand signals will help your pet to learn the commands faster, enhancing its learning.

Once, your dog is able to respond to your command, you can actually give commands either through hand signaling or verbalizing. This is beneficial if you have family members with hearing problems or if your dog loses its hearing when it grows old. In these cases, your dog will still be able to understand and respond to the commands.

How Not To Give The "Come" Command

Never give the "come" command in a disapproval tone, or else it will be unwilling to go to you.

Treatment For Separation Anxiety

Does your dog suffer from separation anxiety at night? My dog used to whine and bark at night when left alone to sleep. After three days of consistent training, it now sleeps soundly on its own.

To train your dog to sleep alone peacefully, the owner must first speak the same phrase such as "good night" or "go to bed" to your dog whenever it is time for it to sleep. Then walk away. In the first few nights, expect it to whine or call for you. Be firm. Never attend to it.

With about three days of consistent training, your dog will understand that no attention will be given whenever it is time to go to bed, until morning comes. Once it understands it, your dog will feel secure to stay on its own at night. It is only then, that it will be able to sleep peacefully on its own.

Before letting your dog be alone, always make sure that it is in a danger-free environment, with fresh clean water, and comfortable bedding, especially during cold seasons!

Dog Training Secrets: Good Dog Names

Today, I am going to share with you some dog training secrets that many are not aware of. Few owners actually realize that giving a dog a good dog name is an important step to having a well-trained dog.

When choosing your dog's name, be careful not to choose a name that sounds like commands such as "no", "off", "sit", "down", "heel", "stay" or "come". This creates confusion as your dog will not be able to differentiate "Joe" from "no", "Sid" from "sit", and "Patch" from "fetch".

If you have more than two pets, do not give them similar sounding names such as "Max" and Dex". They will not be able to know which pet you are addressing.

Your commands need to be communicated clearly to each of your dogs. It is vital not to give any of them names that confuse.

Dog Behavior Training Tip: Tone Of Command

Have you ever seen a dog wagging its tail when the owner is trying to show his disapproval? That is because the owner has not been articulating his disapproval to his dog effectively.

As an owner, it is important for you to create distinct differentiation between your tone of praise and tone of disapproval. You should sound cheerful and happy when you praise your dog. On the other hand, you should lower your voice in a firm tone when it misbehaves. You do not need to yell or raise your voice to communicate your disapproval.

Take note of the above dog training tip. Remember to be conscious of your tone.

The Best Environment To Train Your Dog

One of the most important dog behavior training guidelines is to build an environment of praise.

To encourage good dog behavior, owners should reinforce their dogs good behavior by praising their dogs whenever they have done something good. Make it a habit to spot your dog's good behavior, be always ready to give praises. Through my experience, I have realised that it is more effective to communicate to your dog what it has done right (praise) than what it has done wrong (showing disapproval). Praise is an effective tool, it goes a long way!

Giving praise is easy. Simply give your dog a genuine loving pat and verbally articulate "good dog" in a happy tone. However, delay praise will not be effective. Make sure you praise your dog immediately after it has done the right thing.

All dogs want to please their masters. They just need to know how. Start reinforcing your dog's good behavior today!

Consistency In Training Your Dog

As I have mentioned earlier, the owner's attitude is the key factor in determining the behavior of his dog. How then, should the owner's attitude be, in order to encourage the dog to behave in a desired manner?

Be consistent. The dog's behavior will never improve when the owner is not consistent about it abiding his house rules. By allowing it to lay on the family couch for most days, and closing one eye on its behavior on some days definitely does not help to stop your dog from laying on your family couch.

It is also important that everyone in the house is consistent in communicating the rules for the dog to the dog. Your dog will still be laying on your family couch if you are the only one in the family who do not allow it to lie on the couch, when the rest of the family do nothing to stop this behavior. Therefore, the owner must make sure that every member of the family knows the Dos and Don'ts for the dog, and communicate them consistently.

Once the rules have been communicated clearly to your dog, you and your family will enjoy the presence of a happy and well-behaved dog.